The AC Hotel Portland Downtown was our home base at the end of our West Coast Road Trip. We chose this hotel for two reasons 1) The price was right and 2) My recent stay ended up being pretty nice. Our favorite hotel in Portland, the Nines, was going for over $650 per night, which is a price I’d never pay for a hotel room.
We arrived late in the afternoon and found a long line at check-in. Evidently 16h00 is rush hour at this property. Surprisingly, we were moved quickly to the front of the check-in line. Several of the people attempting to check-in didn’t have their identification nor did they have their credit cards – their personal documents were in their bags still on their tour bus. Lucky for us!
I don’t get why the folks working reception have to ask if this is our first visit at the hotel. It is clear in their system that it isn’t. When I say I’ve stayed here before, the guy helping me checks his computer screen and sees that I had been their just two two weeks prior. After thanking me for my loyalty he begins the standard soliloquy of the hotel amenities and details. I was just here two weeks ago, give me my keys and let me go to my room.
The room was much like the one from a few weeks ago, so I won’t get into those details here again.
We had a more relaxing visit this time – not feeling rushed or obligated to do a lot in Portland, which allowed us to spend more time relaxing in the hotel. The room is quite comfortable for both work and relaxation.
There was one thing off about these rooms, which I touched on briefly last time. There is only one single piece of art in the entire room. Now usually hotel art is pretty abysmal and I’d rather just see a blank wall than some poor quality, high production prints, but the AC Marriott Portland Downtown was different. I was digging the art – but the large blank walls seemed like the hotel wasn’t quite finished.
Hotel Artwork isn’t always good or fun – but this was great.
Final Thoughts
I wouldn’t hesitate returning to the AC Hotel Downtown Portland again. It is centrally located, new, clean and nicely designed. The staff is quite nice – a little too thorough sometimes though.
Where do you stay when visiting Portland? Are you as surprised as I am about hotel prices in Portland?